The present invention is directed generally to electronic blasting systems, and more particularly, to an electronic blasting system in which the electronic detonator enters either blaster mode or logger mode depending on the sensed operating voltage of the master device to which the detonator is attached.
Prior art electronic blasting systems have not included an electronic detonator that is capable of automatically distinguishing whether the detonator is connected to a blasting machine or a logger upon connection to the blasting machine or logger. Prior art electronic detonators have thus been unable to automatically determine for example, when attached to a logger, that they are attached to a logger rather than a blasting machine.
The present invention comprises an electronic blasting system in which the electronic detonator, when attached to a blasting machine or logger, automatically senses and determines whether it is attached to a blasting machine or a logger. Preferably, this is done by utilizing a different operating voltage for the blasting machine versus that of the logger, with the detonator being capable of ascertaining based upon this voltage the type of master device to which it is connected.
The present invention thus permits the application of automatic safety measures such as a logger mode in which the detonator automatically (either at all times during which it is not attached to a blasting machine or upon being attached to a logger) discharges its firing capacitor, disables its firing capacitor from charging, and/or disables any detonator firing switches.